Thursday, January 28, 2016

It is not “nothings” that upset others. It is those who claim “All means All!” when all about we slip and slide away from seeing beloved family members everywhere and continually working toward a next plateau of common good.

It is not “nothings” who exhibit patient kindness or refuse rudeness. It is not “nothings” who insist their way is the highway or resent those who “got their own”. It is not “nothings” who rejoice in truth and simply persist.

It takes a great deal of “I am somebody”-ness to sense there is more than our current measuring rods of success. These understand an unfolding of known-ness in their life and the lives of others. These know cycle of child to adult and value each turning of the infinite facets of this gem that sparkles in the sunshine and in the darkest of darkness.

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Jeremiah is a good reminder of the ease with which we can escape the most meaningful of expenditures of time and energy. Excuse: “I’m but a wee lad.”

G*D, here, is a good reminder of an important quality in a partner—accountability: “Don’t try to wriggle away, I’ve got your back.”

A second important partner quality is that of resourcing one another. In this instance Jeremiah has opportunity and G*D has resources to meet them. In other instances, these roles change. In real time, this is simply a background story for our own easy excuses and partnership responsibilities.

May you continue clarifying the choices to be made without an expectation that you will walk through the midst of the guaranteed responses from those affronted at having their privilege poked or otherwise revealed.

Thursday, January 21, 2016

We periodically get confused about how to measure a presence of spirit. This confusion is satan work that we accede to all too easily.

Good news to the poor is a primary measure. That such good news is today’s news is its corollary.

This is confirmed when our outside words and inside meditations are aligned. At this point we not only affirm but experience as healing, “When one suffers, all suffer; when one rejoices, all are honored.”

Of course it is also very easy for us to claim all are equal but lay the groundwork for a hierarchy of roles that make everyone the poorer, no matter how we “honor” those lacking agreed-upon privilege.

It is critical to remember that either all are apostles or none are. Likewise with other categories of simply being a Partner of G*D and Neighb*r. There are varieties of apostles, prophets, teachers, miraclers, healers, assisters, leaders, and praisers. From time to time, we spend time as each of these. They are not intrinsically separate states of being, simply distinguishable. Rejoice when you appear apostolic. Express your joy when you act prophetically, Be satisfied with those moments when you teach. Enjoy the surprise of a miracle. Etc. Likewise Rejoice when others appear apostolic, Etc.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Following the numerological significance of sevens, we jump in. After invoking the cosmos as a constant we come to verse 7.

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul;

the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple.

(NRSV)

Your pattern is perfectionIt quiets the soul that knows itAnd its eloquent expressionMakes everything clearSo that even the simple are wise

(Opening to You: Zen-Inspired translations of the Psalms, Norman Fischer)

Happy the soul who listens to the Lord
speaking to it deep within,gathering from his lipsthe Word of life and joy!

{The Imitation of Christ [3:1], Thomas à Kempis)

the presence of G*Dbinds health to bonerefreshing soul-hopethis freedom is trust-worthyholding together serpents and doves

(Wesley White)

After placing a bet on some understood ordinance as a measuring rod to keep us safe from overt and covert error we are finally left with verse 14 as the riskiest and most joyful standing spot, giving life a whirl regardless of cost.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to you,

O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

(NRSV)

May these words of my mouthAnd these meditations of my heartBe acceptable to youMy rock, my release

(Opening to You: Zen-Inspired translations of the Psalms, Norman Fischer)

While with my heart and tongueI spread thy praise abroad,Accept the worship and the song,My Savior and my God.

(Isaac Watts)

mouth words and heart thoughtsatune life after lifeto creation and all our kin

Thursday, January 14, 2016

“For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch.”

How wonderful this is for Zion/Jerusalem! Now, who are the outcasts today in your setting? In a global setting? For them we also need to raise an unceasing voice. Really? ISIS the forsaken can be a delight? A forsaken pedophile can be rejoiced over? Stupid violence (or any other kind) can shift from desecration to redeemed? (Not redemptive violence, but violence redeemed.)

Just how far can this passage be pushed before the marriage metaphor breaks through our resistance to it or breaks entirely?

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Here, in Cana of Galilee of all places, “the heavens opened and the angels of G*D ascended and descended”. In the midst of a weary, empty world Jesus acts before his time and resurrects water into wine.

This raises questions of what we might do before our time has arrived in all completeness. Given our own resurrection/reincarnation, what will we resurrect or incarnate before we have arrived at either for our self?

It is not necessary to be enlightened before we can give light. What we are not yet can still encourage others to claim their place in a journey toward greater wholeness. So, around us is an absence of joy. So, what will we do to bring joy into play?

May you give thanks for those who have enjoyed you. May you stimulate the joy of others.

Wednesday, January 06, 2016

The same voice that cries out, “Come Forth!” and “Beloved!” and any number of other words and phrases worthy of an “!”.

For now compare this NRSV translation of verses 10 and 11:

The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;

the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.

May the LORD give strength to his people!

May the LORD bless his people with peace!

with this version from Opening to You: Zen-Inspired Translations of the Psalms by Norman Fischer:

You sat unmoving in the flood time

Your sitting is sovereign and constant

And you reflect this strength in our inmost hearts

So that we may be blessed with peace

The NRSV holds a traditional Christian vision of a static G*D made in a king’s image. The key action is that of giving or endowing humanity with power but it is G*D, not the people, who brings peace. If G*D doesn’t give this strength, there is nothing left for us regarding peace.

Fischer’s narrative is not a power over, but a loosing of a power within. Here is a constant stillness able to connect all the busy, moving parts vying for attention and recognition. This stillness becomes a strength within that attracts a desired peace. This internal approach to suffering, brings a connectedness with it that includes being partners in peace, regardless of the suffering.

You may want to sit with these two portrayals of G*D directing or reflecting. Which is most likely to help us hear, “Beloved!”, and begin acting like it?

Tuesday, January 05, 2016

There is no dark night of the soul for those whom G*D calls by name. Ha!

This proposition is called into question with a very simple understanding that each part of creation is named and that name is “Good”. When it comes to verse 4 and G*D is willing to barter one people for another, we know something has gone awry. “Precious” here is very Gollum-like—in that G*D’s precious ones extend G*D’s life by generations.

As we get away from the redemptive violence found here and elsewhere in the scriptures, we find G*D fading toward the Death of G*D foretold by theologians of yore. It seems a redemptive process by whatever name is an extension of privilege and power. In this, a redemptive act turns out to be for the benefit of the redeemer, not the redeemed. Eventually this discount can no longer be disbelieved and a diminishment follows.

Still, I am flattered when called by name. And you?

Would I were equally pleased when others are called by their name. And you?

Lift up your eyes. How else are you going to hitch your life to a star?

Now that you are at least in a position to be hitched—Arise, Shine! [Be careful here, the “S” is but one row below a “W” and it is hard to shine while whining.]

To best see your star it will be important to not let false distinctions get in your way. References to Midian and Ephah, sons of a later wife of Abraham, and Kedar and Nebaioth, sons of Abraham’s son Ishmael, are ways of distancing oneself from lesser relatives. Such self-privilege is like a cataract fuzzing-up your star-sight.

Monday, January 04, 2016

When Preaching magazine was launched in 1985, their list of contributing editors gave them a sense of who would be listed among the most influential preachers in America. That original group included Stuart Briscoe, Maxie Dunnam, Jim Henry, David Allan Hubbard, John Huffman, D.E. King, James Earl Massey, Calvin Miller, Lloyd John Ogilvie, Stephen F. Olford, Haddon Robinson, J. Alfred Smith, John Wesley White and William Willimon, along with several more.

Of course a different resource than Preaching would come up with some different names. Anyone you would nominate from the last 5 years?

Around each of these there was a group of people filled with expectation who wondered if they might be the answer to their questions of meaning. Surely if only everyone listened to “this” preacher all would be set right in the world!

Into a scene of a grand preach-off to identify and solidify around The Preacher comes a reversal to a silver-tongued Magi who not only gets the most most gold but absolute power to set the theological agenda for the world. It is not gold, frankincense, or myrrh that is highlighted now, but water, simple, everyday water.

After everyone has been baptized with plain old H2O, Jesus is also baptized. Note that where the others began to sense they were now on some right side, Jesus prays to hear deeper than victory or success. A prayer of listening brings, “Beloved!” A prayer of listening evokes a Spirit connecting Body, Mind, and Relationships.

This prayer of listening trades in mercy and joy, not eternally burning chaff. (Oh, there are moments recorded, but the overwhelming work is that of building a storehouse of compassion from which to take an unending supply to apply to the wounds of the day.)

Pray beyond asking, all the way to listening for Belovedness being loosed again in the land.

Eden is probably far from the intent of this passage and yet there enough overtones to bring it back to mind.

The new Eden is Rome. What Rome calls into being is deemed right and good. Unfortunately light is not something Rome can generate, only extinguish through its power of death. Rome and every attempt at Empire is a greater disappointment than any Adam or Eve. A light rising from East of this New Eden comes shining to reveal the ultimate smallness of Herod and his backers. And so fear is revealed in the seeming solidity of power. No matter what the apparent wattage of a star, a candle, or a spotlight, it reveals the inconceivable—the little, the inconsequential, a hick town or an utterly dependent baby is at the center of a return to a creation-old partnership based on all differences reduced to joy, not competition (stand by for Ephesians and every “Gentile” group being sharers in the same promise).

With the Magi coming to pay homage to that which supersedes Rome, Eden is reestablished in the midst of an illusory New Eden. With the Magi comes the enacting of the Magnificat. With the Magi comes a calling out of the nakedness of the king, the emperor.

And so the New Eden responds in the old way of violence, whether state slaughtered children or an atonement theology slaughtered child.

The Magi help the mask of the New Eden to slip and slide away and be revealed for what it is, a great pretender.

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We bring Progressive Christian celebrative and educational events to Wisconsin that the expansive love of GOD will be clear for all to experience. Please visit our Kairos CoMotion website for more information. ///// We have been nurtured in the United Methodist tradition and practice our tradition of bringing together "acts of piety" and "acts of mercy". ///// Click Here to signup to receive the postings here as they are made. ///// We appreciate your presence and support. ///// We have 10 years of postings organized by Book, Chapter, and Verse - you are welcome to browse.